HTC One M9+ vs HTC One M9: What's the difference?

Just a few weeks after launching the flagship HTC One M9, the Taiwanese manufacturer added another handset to its line-up, one with a plus suffix to suggest that it is even better than the current hero phone. The HTC One M9+ has now been officially announced for Europe too, meaning more flagship variety.

We've put both models up against each other, focusing on the key specifications, in order to give you an idea of which phone offers the most bang for your bucks. This is how the HTC One M9+ stacks up against the existing hero, the HTC One M9.

Screen

A "plus" addition to any phone's name usually means that the phone is larger than its stablemate. But while that is true to an extent with the HTC One M9+, it's not as pronounced a leap as, say, the iPhone 6 Plus is to the conventional iPhone 6. At least in actual size.

The HTC One M9+ has a 5.2-inch LCD display while the standard M9 has a 5-inch LCD screen. However, the M9+ adopts a greater resolution, with a Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display over the M9's Full HD (1920 x 1080) equivalent.

That means the M9+ screen is much sharper, with 565 pixels per inch over 441ppi on the smaller handset. That's not to say we're not enamoured by the 1080p screen of the M9 as we are. More technologies are at play than merely resolution.

Size

Again, the "plus" generally signifies a leap in body size as well as screen (often hand-in-hand) and the M9+ is slightly larger in the hand, but no thicker.

It measures 150.9 x 71.9 x 9.6mm, while the HTC One M9 is 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6mm. You really won't feel much between them though. There's also a slight increase in weight, from 157g to 168g.

Processor

There's quite a big change when it comes to the processor in the HTC One M9+. HTC has ditched the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor in the M9 for an octa-core MediaTek MT6795T chip clocked at up to 2.2GHz.

Whether this is for performance reasons or simply cost is unclear at present. On paper alone, it is unlikely there will be a significant change in the speed and ability of each handset based on the processors alone, but we'll be sure to put this to the test when we get the chance.

Both handsets have 3GB of RAM. The HTC One M9 has a 2840mAh battery, as does the M9+. It's likely that the larger phone will burn through the battery faster.

Camera

The cameras on the front of both are identical, each being of the UltraPixel variety (effectively 4-megapixels).

But the HTC One M9+ adopts the Duo Camera concept from the HTC One M8, paired with a 20-megapixel sensor, while the HTC One M9 is more conventional with a single 20.7-megapixel snapper.

Storage

Both cameras come with 32GB of internal storage as standard and both come with microSD for expansion.

Anything else?

Yes and something quite significant.

The HTC One M9+ has a fingerprint scanner on the front of the handset, while the HTC One M9 does not. This obviously makes the process of unlocking your phone more simple, as well as opening the door for Android Pay later in the year.

Conclusion

Although the HTC One M9+ is not a million miles away from the HTC One M9 in design, functionality and abilty - even size - it does represent a boost in a couple of specific areas. The screen has a greater resolution, putting it more on a par with rivals from LG and Samsung, it sees the return of HTC's Duo Camera tech. The fingerprint sensor will also be a great addition.

The smaller handset is likely to last a little longer, as both have the same sized battery. Without getting both together it's difficult to judge which might be the more powerful in daily use. However, the One M9+ does feel like the more advanced handset, where the regular M9 might be playing it slightly too safe.